Is Mayonnaise Safe During Pregnancy? (Updated 2026 Guide)

Updated September 9, 2026

The Answer

Yes commercial mayonnaise made with pasteurized eggs can be suitable during pregnancy when stored correctly after opening. Choose based on egg pasteurization and handling, not catalog grades, which mainly fall in the A and B+ ranges.

Your main consideration is egg pasteurization and safe handling, especially with homemade or restaurant mayonnaise. Suitable mayonnaise does not make the surrounding meal safe: CDC advises avoiding premade deli salads during pregnancy. Ingredient concerns also depend on amount and form; ordinary calcium disodium edta is not automatically a fetal toxicity concern, and concentrated herbal supplement evidence should not be applied to normal condiment portions.

Pregnancy Safe is 100% independent and research driven. No companies pay to promote or sponsor products.

✓ What's Safe

  • • Choose commercial mayonnaise whose label or manufacturer confirms the eggs are pasteurized.
  • • Check the exact version you are buying rather than assuming every flavor or size has the same formulation.
  • • For homemade mayonnaise, use pasteurized eggs and follow safe preparation and cold storage practices.
  • • At restaurants, ask whether the mayonnaise is commercially prepared or house made and whether its eggs are pasteurized.
  • • Follow the package instructions for refrigeration after opening and storage duration.

✗ What to Avoid

  • • Avoid homemade or restaurant mayonnaise made with raw, unpasteurized eggs; if the egg source cannot be confirmed, choose another condiment.
  • • Avoid opened mayonnaise that has not been stored according to its refrigeration instructions.
  • • Avoid premade deli salads, including chicken, tuna and potato salads, even when their mayonnaise uses pasteurized eggs.
  • • Do not assume labels such as organic, gourmet or freshly made confirm egg pasteurization.
  • • Do not use an A grade or a short ingredient list as a substitute for checking preparation and storage.

Most Common Ingredients in Mayonnaise Products

We analyzed 899 mayonnaise products. Here are the most common ingredients, ranked by how often they appear:

salt
91%
water
89%
sugar
65%
soybean oil
61%
lemon juice concentrate
46%
egg yolks
41%
distilled vinegar
35%
natural flavor
33%
calcium disodium edta
32%
vinegar
32%
natural flavors
26%
whole eggs
15%

Ingredients to Watch Out For in Mayonnaise

These are the most common flagged ingredients across 899 mayonnaise products we analyzed.

high fructose corn syrup

Caution

High fructose corn syrup is a sweet, liquid sweetener made from corn starch, commonly used in processed foods and beverages.

Is not a known teratogen at occasional food amounts, but high added sugar intake can displace nutrients and raise gestational diabetes and metabolic concerns.

Flagged in 38 of 899 products (4%)

cold pressed flaxseed oil

Caution

Has limited pregnancy specific safety data; normal food amounts are lower concern but concentrated supplements warrant caution.

Flagged in 5 of 899 products (1%)

kombu seaweed

Caution

Kombu seaweed is a nutrient rich, dark green kelp commonly used in Japanese cuisine to enhance umami flavor and make broths.

Can contain highly variable iodine, with high dose brown seaweed or kelp products and hijiki arsenic exposure requiring caution in pregnancy.

Flagged in 3 of 899 products (0%)

white wine

Avoid

White wine is a crisp, pale yellow alcoholic beverage made from fermented white grapes, often used to enhance the flavor of dishes or enjoyed on its own.

Has no established safe amount in pregnancy and is linked to fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and other adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Flagged in 3 of 899 products (0%)

horseradish

Caution

Horseradish is a pungent root vegetable known for its sharp, spicy flavor often used to add heat to sauces and condiments.

Is generally compatible at normal condiment amounts but should be avoided in medicinal products or large regular doses due to limited pregnancy data and possible uterine and irritant effects.

Flagged in 2 of 899 products (0%)

horseradish mustard powder blend horseradish

Caution

A spicy and tangy blend of horseradish and mustard powder, perfect for adding heat and flavor to dishes.

Is generally compatible at normal condiment amounts but should be avoided in medicinal products or large regular doses due to limited pregnancy data and possible uterine and irritant effects.

Flagged in 2 of 899 products (0%)

organic fennel

Caution

Organic fennel is a fragrant, crunchy vegetable with a mild licorice flavor, often used to add freshness and depth to salads, soups, and dishes.

Is generally low concern at normal culinary amounts but should be avoided as concentrated medicinal tea, essential oil, or supplement during pregnancy because safety data are limited and estrogenic or uterine concerns exist.

Flagged in 2 of 899 products (0%)

organic fenugreek

Caution

Organic fenugreek is a nutrient rich herb known for its aromatic seeds, commonly used to enhance flavor and support digestion.

Is generally lower concern in normal food amounts but medicinal doses are not recommended in pregnancy due to limited data plus uterine stimulant and reproductive toxicity signals.

Flagged in 2 of 899 products (0%)

Mayonnaise Products We've Analyzed

Our catalog contains ratings for 899 mayonnaise products. These are database grades, not independent safety certifications.

Grades are catalog ingredient scores, not measurements of current labels, preparation, pathogens, dose or clinical pregnancy suitability. Unreviewed products remain in the aggregate counts.

A
644 (71.6%)
B
192 (21.4%)
C
59 (6.6%)
D
0 (0%)
F
4 (0.4%)

Pregnancy Safe Mayonnaise Products

Popular options from our catalog, prioritizing A and B ingredient grades, with C grade options used to fill remaining places. Within each group, products are ordered by searches in Pregnancy Safe, not retail sales. Read the cautions and guidance above; grades do not verify a complete current label or guarantee pregnancy safety.

Grade Product Brand
A Real Mayonnaise Best Foods
A Real Mayonnaise Hellmann'S
A Classic Mayo Chosen Foods
A Hellmann'S Mayonnaise Real Hellmann'S
A Hellmans Mayonnaise Hellmann'S

Your Questions Answered

Is mayonnaise pasteurized?

The useful question is whether the eggs used to make it are pasteurized. Commercial mayonnaise made with pasteurized eggs can be suitable during pregnancy, but you should confirm the exact product through its label or manufacturer. Homemade and restaurant mayonnaise may use different eggs, so do not assume the same answer applies.

Can I eat homemade or restaurant mayonnaise while pregnant?

Choose mayonnaise made with pasteurized eggs and handled safely. At a restaurant, ask whether it is house made and what eggs are used. If staff cannot confirm pasteurized eggs, choosing another condiment avoids that uncertainty. For homemade mayonnaise, pasteurized eggs do not remove the need for safe preparation and refrigeration.

Can I eat chicken or tuna salad if it contains commercial mayonnaise?

Commercial mayonnaise does not guarantee that the other ingredients or finished salad were handled safely. CDC advises avoiding premade deli salads during pregnancy, including chicken and tuna salads. For food you prepare yourself, consider the safety of every ingredient and its preparation and storage, rather than checking only the mayonnaise.

How should I store mayonnaise during pregnancy?

Follow the exact package instructions, including refrigeration after opening and any stated storage duration. Keep homemade mayonnaise refrigerated and pay attention to how restaurant mayonnaise is stored and served. Pasteurized eggs do not make poor storage harmless.

Should I avoid mayonnaise containing EDTA, herbs or flaxseed oil?

Ordinary calcium disodium edta in mayonnaise is not automatically a fetal toxicity concern. Horseradish, fennel and fenugreek used as culinary flavorings are different exposures from medicinal preparations or concentrated supplements. Cold pressed flaxseed oil in normal food amounts is also a different exposure from capsules or spoonful dose supplementation, for which pregnancy safety evidence is limited. An ingredient flag alone does not establish that a normal serving of mayonnaise is harmful.

What do mayonnaise grades tell me about pregnancy safety?

Our catalog contains 899 mayonnaise products, including 644 graded A and 192 graded B+. These are ingredient scores, not confirmation of current labels, pasteurization, pathogen testing or safe storage. The counts include products that have not received an individual label review, and a lower grade does not automatically mean a product is unsafe during pregnancy. Use the grades as additional ingredient information, not as a clinical safety verdict.

How to Interpret These Ratings

Our ingredient and category rules generate letter grades from the information recorded in the catalog. Missing ingredients and broad category assignments can affect the result. These grades do not measure your dose, confirm a complete current label, or test a product for contamination.

A high grade is not a guarantee of pregnancy safety. A low grade is not, by itself, proof of harm from every use. Follow the product-specific guidance above, check the actual package, and ask your prenatal clinician about supplements, treatment decisions or uncertain exposures.

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References

  1. https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/prevention/index.html
  2. https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/foods-to-avoid/
  3. https://cdn.realfood.gov/DGA.pdf
  4. https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2021-12/DGA_Pregnancy_FactSheet-508c.pdf
  5. https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/healthy-eating-during-pregnancy